Telescopic trunk



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. J. PALIGA. TBLESGOPIG TRUNK.

y Patented May 23, 1893.

2 l .in I ummm? (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.V F. J. PALIGA.

` TBLBscoPI-G TRUNK. No. 497,811. Patented May 23,1893.

fm: Norms ruins w. Punto-uwe., wsmncrrun. b. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEETcE.

FRANK J. PALICA, OF RACINE, VISCONSIN.

TELESCOPIC TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,811, dated May 23, 1893.

Application filed il' une 17, 1892.

i decreasing its capacity; to provide a cheap and simple means for securing the adjustment, and to provide a stop for limiting the `telescopic movement of the trunk-members,

which stop is so arranged as to form a brace for strengthening that member in which it is located.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a trunk embodying my invention, the same being open. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified constructionhereinafter referred to.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The hereinafter described trunk is preferably made of paste board covered with canvas, though as will hereinafter appear, the same may be made of any ordinary and suitable material. In the present instance, l designates the rectangular trunk-body, or which I shall term the body-member, and the same is open at top and bottom, or in other words, is bottomless. A rectangular frame 2 is located within the upper edge or mouth of the body-member and serves to stiften and strengthen the same, rendering it more durable and rigid; and the said frame forms upon its under side a stop or shoulder along the interior of the body-member, a short distance below the upper edge thereof.

Hinged to the rear side of the body-member is the lid 3, and the same is provided with a suitable handle 4, if such is desired, at the ends of which keepers 5 are located and have Serial No. 437,046. (No model.)

their front ends looped at 6 to engage the ends of the handle. A lock 7 has its opposite members secured to the front walls of the bodymember and lid, and catches 8 have their opposite members similarly secured near the meeting edges of the end-walls of the bodymember and lid. A pair of straps 9 is secured to the rear wall of the body-member, pass under the same through keepers 10, located upon the front wall of the body-member near the lower edge thereof, and at their free ends engage buckles 1l, secured to the front wall of the body-member above the keepers and just below the upper edge of the bodymember, those portions of the straps being retained in position by the before-mentioned keepers 5.

The bottom-member, which is designed to telescope within the bottomless body-member, comprises the front and rear walls 12, bottom 13, and opposite end walls 14. In this instance, the bottom and opposite front and rear walls are formed integral, and their ends or edges overlap and are riveted to the end walls 14, so that when the bottom-member is telescoped within the body-member, an intervening space, the thickness of the mate rial or stock of which the bottom-member is made, is formed between the end walls of the bottom-member and the corresponding or end walls of the body-member. Such spaceI have indicated. as 15. The space is narrow, and in fact is about the thickness of an ordinary leather strap. In trunks not embodying the.

construction herein set forth, but formed of other material, this space may be formed in various ways, such for instance as providing proper bindings for the corners of the bottom-member; or, if desired,the space may be omitted, though for purposes hereinafter described its advantages will be obvious.

Leather buckle-loops 16, in this instance two in number, are riveted to the interior surfaces of the opposite end walls of the bodysection, adjacent to the upper edge thereof, though if desired they may be located lower down or upon the bottom. In these loops buckles 17 of any desired construction are loosely connected. To the end walls of the body-member, at points opposite or in a vertical plane with the buckles, there is riveted or otherwise secured a pair of iiexible leather straps or billets 18, whose free ends extend upward through the spaces 15 formed for their accommodation, take over the edges of the end walls of the bottom-member, and adjustably engage with the buckles 17. It will thus be obvious that by engaging the variousholes in the straps with the tongues of the buckles, the straps may be increased or decreased in length and that when increased in length, may permit the body-member to slide down over the bottom-member; and when decreased in length, have a reverse effect, namely, a raising of the body-member on the bottom-member. Such lowering of the body-member upon the bottom-member, as will be obvious, de-

creases the height of the trunk, or in other words, renders the same of decreased capacity; while a raising of the body-member upon the bottom-member increases the height of the trunk and increases its capacity.

If desired, a series of straps and buckles, located at proper intervals may be employed, and I would lay particular stress upon the employment of straps and buckles for this purpose for the reason that, although numerous devices for accomplishing the same purpose maybe readily devised, yet the straps pos- Sess the property of flexibility and durability not possessed by any other device for this purpose; and hence they are better designed to withstand the many hard knocks and strains to which they are constantly subjected during transportation.

The frame 2 heretofore described as being located in the body-member, it will be seen forms a stop for the downward movement of the body-'member upon the bottom-member, and such stop obviates an adjustment of the suspension-straps when the trunk is decreased or adjusted to its smallest capacity, and also serves to brace said trunk in this condition, that is brace its bottom-member in addition to bracing its body-member, which latter it always does.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modied construction of trunk, such modification simply consisting in reversing the relations between the body-member and the bottom-member, so that whereas in the previous instance the body-member received the bottom-member, it

in this instance is received by the bottommember.

In this instance, 18 designates the external bottom-member, constructed as before, and 19 the internal body-member, to which is hinged the lid 20, which may be locked by the lock 2l, catches 22, and the two members bound together by the external strap 24 designates the leather loops in which are located the buckles 25, said loops depending from the end walls of the body-member. To these are adj ustably connected, by means of the buckles, the free ends of the straps 26, said straps passing under the lower edges of the end walls of said body-member, upward between the walls where they are connected to the end walls of the bottom-member. The functions of these straps are the same as in the previous instance. I have merely illustrated this modification for the purpose of illustrating how the same may be accomplished without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I will state that the first construction described, namely, wherein the body-member incloses the bottom-member, is preferred.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a trunk, the combination with telescoping bod y and bottom-members, of buckles secured to the inner surface of the inner member, straps secured to the inner surfaceot' the outer member and passed between said members and having their free ends adjustably connected with the buckles of the inner member, and external binding-straps embracing the two members, substantially as specified.

2. In a trunk, the combination with the trunk-member having the open bottom, and the telescoping bottom-member located therein and inclosed thereby, of external straps connected to the trunk-member and passed under the bottom-member, buckles secured to the bottom-member, and iiexible straps secured to the body-member and at their free ends adj ustably connected with the buckles, substantially as specified.

3. In a trunk, the combination with the body-member, of the telescoping bottom-member provided at its corners with projections, whereby its end walls combine with the end walls of the body-member to form intermediate spaces, the buckles secured to the end walls of and within the bottom-member, and the flexible straps secured to the end walls of the body-member and having their free ends passed upward through the space between the end walls and adjustably connected to the buckles, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. PALICA.

Witnesses:

MATT SPEICH, JULIUs LUEcK. 

